Through the Ring of Red Mansions

Besides, on the day of Jia Huan's birthday, there were many people in the capital who had been with the third wife during the New Year's Day gift, and sent the reliable woman in front of him to talk to Jia Huan by sending birthday noodles, or just met her. Once or twice, people came to ask the third wife how she was. Tanchun smiled and said, "There are so many people here. I think Guangshou noodles are so good that they will pile up in a room. Huan'er has something to eat."

Sister Feng deliberately smiled at Jiamu, "I don't think it's important for these women to come to give gifts. It's the real meaning to come to the old lady and the third wife first to write down my name!"

The whole family was puzzled, but a few women who were serving heard it and said with a smile, "It's a pity that Brother Huan is such an extraordinary person, it's impossible to find someone who looks like a fairy to be worthy, old lady The third wife and the third wife are naturally blessed." Those women are used to talking, so they flattered, and Jia Mu and the third wife couldn't help smiling, and said, "Their siblings should also arrive. Baoyu will not be the only ones after they are done with their work." What, you usually pay more attention to find out if there are any suitable people, the appearance is second, it must be a gentle and filial one."

The third wife still felt that it was not enough, and said, "It would be better to have someone who is both beautiful and good-natured."

Sister Feng said jokingly, "That's all, but I don't know if the third wife is talking about son-in-law or daughter-in-law?!"

Tanchun immediately turned red with embarrassment, gritted his teeth and spat, "Lian's second sister-in-law started talking drunk after just a few drinks, see if I don't tear your mouth!"

Mother Jia wiped her eyes with a smile, and said with a smile, "It's been a while since I've been so happy. Feng girl's question is a waste of time. Naturally, it's just like this. How can anyone dislike someone who is too beautiful and good-natured?" Can't it?" Tanchun was so anxious that he dragged Sister Feng to drink, Bao and Dai persuaded them, and they had a long fight before it was over.

Therefore, after the banquet was over, Jia's mother was afraid that the third wife would be short-sighted and ignorant, so she called her into the room and said, "Huan'er has a bright future now, so naturally there are those who want to talk to him. You He listens very well, so I would like to tell you in advance, don't just respond to someone who is sweet-talking. I don't know if Huan'er can become a princess in the future. So don't worry. , but it’s okay to make arrangements for him later.”

When the third wife heard that Jia Huan might marry the princess as a son-in-law, Zao Mei was elated and said with a smile, "What the old lady said is, how can I be so confused, and only say that the old lady and the master are the ones to decide this matter, how can I?" Do you dare to make a decision alone? Besides, there is a Tan girl on top of Huan'er. Naturally, it is reasonable to settle the Tan girl's matter first and then look after Huan'er. If Huan'er can really marry a princess, then I It’s really Amitabha.”

Jia Mu laughed and said, "Don't recite the Buddha's name first. If you ask me, it may not be a good thing to marry a princess. Even if I see you, I have to salute and say hello, let alone you, let Huan'er and our family worship." Is it okay to fall in love with her? So I thought, it’s better to find a good one from a well-matched family.”

The third wife also felt that it made sense after hearing this, and she couldn't help being in a dilemma. She hoped that her son would really marry a princess and let her be the princess' mother-in-law, but she also thought that she would marry Jia Huan who would be able to survive, so that Fang's family would feel at ease.When I went back to learn from Jia Zheng, Jia Zheng said, "He is still young, and it is time to make progress, so don't mention these things that distract him. You should wait for two more years. Isn't Baoyu married at nineteen? It's not a marriage granted by the Holy One, but I would like to do it later."

When the third wife saw that Baoyu was mentioned, she couldn't help but committed an old problem again, and said, "Although Baoyu is just married, the girl in the house has been with her for several years. The master doesn't know?" The third wife said, "It's the girl named Xiren that the old lady gave to Baoyu. The second wife promoted her monthly registration a few years ago. At that time, I was just an aunt, and this girl was always with us. all the same."

Jia Zheng still had some impressions of Xiren, but he never imagined that the honest girl would have mixed up with Baoyu, and hated Mrs. Wang, stomping his feet angrily, "Sure enough, it's because he has long hair and short knowledge! No wonder he loves being here so much." Hanging around in the girls' team, they actually gave birth to a pervert!"

The third wife pretended to persuade, "Master, why bother? Anyway, Baoyu has grown up and married again. It's time for me to have some ideas. The old lady spoils him again. Instead, I want to turn around and get angry with the master. It's better to pretend that I don't know." .”

How could Jia Zheng listen to it? On the second day, he immediately ordered Baoyu to come to the study outside to question him, and to test his knowledge in the past few days. Did he know that half of the "Mencius" when asked about it was half-baked. "Because I have read some poems, although they are not very elaborate, they can be blamed.There is also "the stereotyped writing of the time, because Baoyu has always hated this way, and it was not written by sages. How could it explain the subtleties of sages, but it was used as a bait for later generations. Although Jia Zheng chose it when he got up that day Hundreds of chapters ordered him to read, but occasionally because he saw one or two of them, or in the middle of the inheritance, there was something exquisite, or wandering, or playing, or sad, and a little active, so he read it once in a while. It's just for a moment's interest, but why did I ever devote myself to playing with it?"

Jia Zheng was furious because of this, threw the book on Baoyu and shouted, "You want to end this autumn just like you, I think you might as well go and don't go, so as not to lose face, even Lan'er can do better than you!" Baoyu ordered Mr. Liu to come again, blamed him, and said, "From tomorrow onwards, he will not be allowed to rest during the day, and he will be sent to the study at noon. Although he can go back at night, he still has to recite the stereotyped article three times." article, when will I be able to write an article so that I can see it, and then I will take a vacation!"

Baoyu just felt like the sky was falling, and hurried back to ask Jia Mu for mercy. Jia Mu also felt that it was too harsh, so she asked Jia Zheng to ease it. On the contrary, the key is to kill him. Seeing that Qiu Wei is coming soon, Baoyu can't even write an essay, so what should he point to in the future? If he is not allowed to go this way, he doesn't even need to learn it. Anyway, his daughter-in-law has a family salary, so the two of them can't go hungry."

Jia's mother hurriedly said, "What's that like saying that you can't let Baoyu have a soft meal at home?" She had to coax Baoyu tactfully and let him wait until the examination period. Study hard in the study.

In addition, because of Jia Zheng's order, Jia Huan was asked to make some "simulation questions" for Baoyu to practice like he did when he was taking the exam back then. Someone copied it down, bound it into a book and sent it to Baoyu for review. Baoyu was not that clumsy.

Shui Lang saw that Jia Huan's method was very novel, so he asked, "You were also unable to learn like this at the beginning, and it makes sense. After reading so many articles, naturally you can do what you can't do."

Jia Huan also couldn't tell him that in later generations, he passed all the green lights in the exam all the way. He relied on the "simulation questions" as a big killer. He didn't have any skills, and he piled it up based on quantity. He couldn't help laughing, "That's right. Baoyu was originally smart. , now there is always some use in holding Buddha's feet temporarily."

Shui Lang didn't care about Baoyu's ranking, but because he went to Langhuan Mountain Villa on Jia Huan's birthday night, and teased Jia Huan to drink some wine on purpose, he really had a good time at night, but Jia Huan couldn't bear the torment, I cried under him twice, and since then I have been annoyed, and refused to let him touch anything. Now that I finally got a smiling face, Shui Lang was a little moved, and went to hug him and said, "I haven't been with me for a few days. We had dinner together, so it’s good to stay today, don’t go back to live in the palace.”

Jia Huan's anger gradually dissipated in the past few days, and now seeing Shui Lang's low-key appearance again, he snorted coldly and said slowly, "It's okay to eat, but it's not good to stay."

Shui Lang smiled and said, "Last time you said you were going to rub down the poems on the pair of pillars at the back of Yongchang Hall, don't you want it again?"

Jia Huan said, "If you go to the Yongchang Palace, then you won't go there. So many people are watching, I want to go in there, and tomorrow the censors will bury me!"

Shui Lang smiled and said, "It's nothing." Then he took Jia Huan to the East Nuan Pavilion where the two of them usually rest for a while. He didn't know what mechanism he had activated, but only heard a click, then Zhang's very heavy pear wood desk moved back two feet, exposing a dark hole in the ground. Jia Huan couldn't help being extremely surprised. Shui Lang went to get a lamp and lit it, and pulled him into the secret passage together. Pressing on the wall once, the hole above the two of them squeezed shut again.

For a while, Shui Lang held Jia Huan in one hand, and led him forward with a lamp in the other, and said with a smile, "There are not thousands of secret passages in the palace, but there must be eight hundred, not to mention Yongchang Palace is the emperor's bedroom, so naturally there are ones in case of emergencies." A wonderful way to use it.”

Jia Huan saw that although this was a secret passage, it was not narrow enough to accommodate two people walking side by side. The other four walls were all made of white jade, which was very bright under the reflection of the lights and did not feel eerie. He said, "So that's the truth, but I'm stupid. Even Jia's mansion has a cellar for hiding things, let alone the imperial palace. Last time I wondered why I went from Yongchang Hall to Huguo Temple as soon as I opened my eyes. I thought you were the one who quietly avoided people and sent me there in the middle of the night, and these days you have been going to the villa at night, and it seems that the people in the palace don’t know that there is actually a secret passage leading to the Huguo Temple, right?”

Shui Langxiao took his hand and kissed him, "Little Jia Tanhua is really smart."

Jia Huan glanced at him immediately, his black pupils looked forward, and because of what he had learned recently, he couldn't help showing a little charm.

What's more, the place is secret and cramped, and there are only the two of them. Under the lights, there are many dark and charming scenery. Shui Lang couldn't help but put the lamp stand on the stone wall of the secret passage where the lamps and candles were placed, and pushed Jia Huan to the place. Locked firmly on a stone wall, he bowed his head to taste the soft sandalwood mouth like petals, and lifted Jia Huan's clothes with the other hand. Once, he was suddenly protruded down by a fiery palm, and he was so panicked that he pushed Shui Lang away forcefully and said, "At least you can see where this is?!"

Shui Lang has been hooked up to the fire, chuckled, and said nothing else, as if nothing happened, took Jia Huan and continued to move forward. Seeing him like this, Jia Huan felt faintly in his heart. Ominous, I couldn't help but lead Shui Lang to say, "You haven't finished talking just now, where does the secret passage here lead to? It's better to go to Huguo Temple, it's not too exaggerated, it's amazing to have an exit to the villa Besides! Besides, do the monks there know about the exit in Huguo Temple? What if they are discovered?"

Shui Lang could not help explaining to him slowly, "This secret passage was not built by Daqing's ancestors at first. It existed in the previous dynasty, but it was only repaired later. Naturally, all the exits are released by trustworthy people. Huguo Temple There is one place there, and if you don’t want to think about it, the Huguo Temple is in the city after all. If there are rebels or enemies surrounding the city, what’s the use of going to the Huguo Temple? There is an exit."

Jia Huan said in surprise, "I don't know how much manpower and material resources have been spent on building such a secret passage. I'm afraid the craftsmen who built it will not die well."

Shui Lang smiled and said, "Could it be that the emperors are all executioners? Naturally, most of them are built with death row prisoners, just like the imperial mausoleum is also built in the same way, but some generals who design the blueprints are generally not allowed to keep of."

As they talked, they reached the end of a road, and saw a row of steep steps going upwards. Shui Lang didn't know which brick he pressed, and a square and bright opening suddenly opened at the top of the steps. After the two went up, Jia Only then did Huan discover that the exit of the secret passage was actually behind a backing table hidden in the bedroom in the Yongchang Palace.

There are not many court ladies and eunuchs arranged in Yongchang Palace, Jia Huan has only seen four court ladies and four eunuchs, it can be seen that they are people that Shui Lang trusts very much, so when the two came out, Shui Lang didn't hide his taboo, and called a Jia Huan recognized the eunuch named Xiao Linzi and ordered, "Put lunch in Yongchang Palace today." After Xiao Linzi went to receive the order, Jia Huanfang suddenly realized that he still followed Shui Lang to Yongchang Palace unknowingly. coming.